Wednesday Thoughts: A Gluten Free Diet: Healthy or Not?

I spend a lot of time talking with my clients about their eating habits: when do they eat in the AM, what is their biggest meal of the day, what is their weakness for a snack, what can they not live without, etc. Then we always talk about “macros” or macro nutrients. 

Most people are not familiar with the term and you know there’s no real reason you should be. It wasn't taught to us in school, it’s not a term found in Glamour or Time Magazine but your “macros” are important to understand whether entering a new phase of losing weight, maintaining or building muscle.

Macro nutrients are broken down into three categories: carbohydrates (aka “carbs”), fats and proteins.  When discussing the carbs aspect, “gluten-free” has come up a number of times in conversation, most recently as this past weekend with my family while enjoying a relaxing day on the beach.

So what is a "gluten-free" diet...and is it healthy for you?

Now I am not a clinical dietitian, nor a certified nutritionist so I am not going to tell you what you SHOULD be doing regarding precise macro nutrient breakdowns and meal plans. However I will say this – DO YOUR RESEARCH.

The “gluten-free” diet craze is just that – a craze, a fad diet. It’s the 2014 version of the Atkins Diet. Being gluten free is a necessity for many Americans such as those who have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but really that’s it!!  Yes, I know what some of you will say: I’m not diagnosed with Celiac, but I have “gluten sensitivity”. Okay then yes, you should reduce gluten intake as well.  But to be “gluten free” without these diagnosed conditions is, well, just another fad diet. You do NOT need to cut gluten out of your diet altogether if you are not diagnosed with these conditions. There is no scientific evidence that cutting gluten out of your diet if you do not have a diagnosed condition is beneficial to you. Not only is it really hard to do, but it’s EXPENSIVE!   Instead, focus on cutting down on processed foods.

But Devon – what do you mean by “processed foods”? Well, here’s a chart to start!

 

My best advice: do your research and while everyone does their research online, don’t believe EVERYTHING you read about what a celebrity has done and how well it worked. You need to find what works for you!

Look, I LOVED the Atkins Diet way back when – I ate steak, bacon and cheese all day!  It was great and I lost weight because I cut carbohydrates out of my diet….but it wasn’t sustainable.  I also did the Lemonade Diet (aka “Master Cleanse”) and I lost weight because all I had was some lemonade concoction for five days. Yes I know - how ironic, me saying all this “fad diet” stuff is just a craze considering that I promote The Challenge – a shake mix that tastes like a cake mix! All I can tell you is that after all the other “fad diets” out there, The Challenge worked for me.

At my third year anniversary of being with The Challenge, I can say my weight has stayed within a 5 lb range. I feel and look the best I ever have and….I eat gluten.

Have a GREAT July 4^th Weekend, Happy Birthday America!

Devon

PS. Please join the MTT team in support of Outrun 38 and their 5K race coming up on Saturday, August 2. I am putting together a team from Milford and My Transformation Training. If you are an avid runner and want to log in another 5K, or if you are beginner and would like to train for this event and not sure where to start, shoot me an email and I can help!  For more information: http://www.outrun38.org/outrun-5k.html.